The clock chimed
by yeti activist
Summary: A handful of fanfics that explore the ups and downs of mulder and scully's domestic life in/during/after IWTB. More or less are all. related to each other
1. Chapter 1

honestly I wrote this at like midnight many months ago it's pretty much crap but I kinda like it. It 's mega short. I might make it a multi chapter fic?. scully/mulder thingy. during or after iwtb. full of angst. yay!

enjoy, dear fellow x-philes! :) review please if you've got the time.

* * *

The clock always seemed loudest when she was alone. Well, not alone per se, she wasn't alone physically, Mulder was down stairs in his office. Sitting in his chair while a desk lamp lighting up scraps of paper and newspaper clippings.

But he wasn't _here_. It seemed he never really was 'here'. She felt like she was living with a ghost. She felt like she never saw him; after work, breifly before he'd head back to his solitude of his office; dinner, which was about the only time they talked, and that talk was mainly comprised of unemotional small talk; and sometimes , if she was awake, she'd see him climb into the bed besides her- although many nights, he didn't even come to bed. And even on those nights he did come to bed, though he would be only an inch or two away, he felt miles away. She wondered if he'd come to bed tonight. She'd given trying to persuade him to come to bed, it never got anywhere and usually someone ended up upset.

He was her best friend, her partner , her lover and yet she couldn't talk to him. She can't remember the last time she really , really talked to him.

This wasn't what she had pictured her domestic life with a partner being, although to be fair, for a long time she never considered having a domestic life.

She had admittedly thought before of leaving him, but she couldn't. The past kept them too tied together and even in her grief and frustration with him she still loved him so.

He had changed so much, and she missed the Mulder she had known for so long.

As the clock chimed at the next hour, she wondered if he'd come to bed.


	2. Chapter 2

second chapter! I actually had most of this written from a few months ago. I added some new stuff to it though.

I think I might write two more chapters. One more depressing one and one last more happy one :) idk, writing about M&amp;S post/pre iwtb is fun haha

without further ado please enjoy!and thnx for reading! : )

* * *

The clock chimed at 3 PM. She'd be home in an hour or so.

Scully was working.

Like every other normal day. And he was home.

He couldn't lie that he felt a certain resentment towards her for working so often, even though he did not have a rightful reason to feel so. He didn't work, he didn't buy groceries, he didn't pay the bills, no- that was Scully. She did it all. He didn't have the 'wanted by the FBI excuse ' anymore, not since charges were dropped against him two years ago. Mulder just stayed home, fiddling away in his office and staring at news paper clippings and tabloid headlines.

Two years ago he remembered the little crack in their relationship fissuring, and he remembered her telling him 'she wasn't coming home'.

He had done his best since then to fix that crack, and for the most part, they were in a good place. Somewhat.

Scully had become so distant over the years to Mulder, and thinking about it, he realized she spent more time at the hospital than at home. When she did come home it was dinner then bed. That was it. They'd talk , but it was empty. Empty talk that was mostly ' how was work' or ' what's for dinner'.

Not much occurred in bed either, which he knew was partially because they were getting older, but also because she didn't want it to happen. She never initiated anything, and rarely responded to any of his hinting. Sometimes, on rare nights something happened, and he pinned for those nights. Not for the sex, not really, but for having some contact with her, some actual passion that he rarely saw in her.

He glanced at his watch. 4:30 PM, she'd be leaving work soon.

He wondered if there was something he had done. Sometimes he wondered if there was someone else, especially on those weeks she'd work so many night shifts. Perhaps maybe she had grown sick of him and she's cheating on him? No, she'd never do that.

He felt guilty at thinking about the thought that Scully would do something like that.

Anyway, Scully would tell him if there was something wrong, wouldn't she?

That's a good question. Would she?

He also wondered if she was even aware she was acting the way she was.

Mulder didn't know, but he wished things were different. He wished he knew what to do to get the old Scully back. The one he'd fallen head over heels over so many years ago.

He jumped at the sound of the front door opening, breaking the silence that held his thinking. He listened to the click clacking of her heels as she meandered the house. Mulder got up , opening the door.

" Hey doc."

" Hi." she sounded empty. Like she always did. Like usual...

Empty like they always seemed to sound.


	3. Chapter 3

third and maybe last chapter ? I don't know! Should I write some more? Maybe one more happier fic ? Or maybe a few more? idk!

Anyway: This one is lighter and more happy I guess than the precious two. Also this chapter is written in the present only because I forgot that I wrote the previous two in the past tense. So this chapters present day I guess..? sorry about that. :(

anyway, please enjoy and thanks for reading!

* * *

It's around 12 pm on a Saturday and Scully only knows this because the clock the Mulder insisted on buying makes the most obnoxious chiming at every hour. She's pacing the kitchen and living room, checking her phone every few seconds.

She is not entirely sure where Mulder is at the moment. He'd mentioned something about going out but she can't get a hold of him. Scully shouldn't panic, not logically, because he almost always forgets to check his phone but after all that they've lived through...

Not being able to reach him scares her.

She jumps as the door opens and she hears her partners voice call out.

" Scully?"

" Mulder? Where were you? I thought that you'd... gotten into something."

" I took a walk." Mulder approaches her.

She's too flustered to notice he has something hidden behind his back.

" Oh." Scully goes quiet for a moment, still calming down from her worries, but is now growing increasingly irate . " Mulder why the hell didn't you have your phone? I don't like not being able to reach you. " She doesn't mean for it to come out so shorty but it does. It'll be obvious now to Mulder how worried she had gotten.

" I was just outside the house. You could have called for me." Mulder snaps back. Scully opens her mouth to retort what is probably not a nice reply, but Mulder interrupts before she gets the chance. "I'm sorry. I'll bring my phone next time." It's clear he's not up to arguing with her today.

" Good." Scully replies collectedly.

Mulder then fiddles with that something hidden behind his back.

" There's a bunch of flowers growing out back. These ones reminded me of you." He says gently. " Well your hair to be more exact."

He hands her a bright orange wildflower . It's an awkwardly romantic gesture for them, but she appreciates it and can't help but smile.

" Thank you, Mulder." Scully murmurs, a sober smile still on her face. She reaches to grab the flower and holds against her chest. She spins it around with her fingers, watching its bright color dance in the light of the house. " It's very pretty."

" Like you." Mulder responds quietly, reaching out to rest his hand on her shoulder.

Scully goes quiet for a short moment and shakes her head.

"Oh my god , Mulder ... how cheesy can you be." She says trying to choke down a giggle, which doesn't last long as she begins to laugh.

Then Mulder starts to laugh too. Now they're both laughing for no other reason than Mulder being a ridiculous sappy romantic.

It's a simple, but wonderful moment.

It feels nice to Scully to laugh for again. To laugh with him. It's as if she sees a glimmer of the people they used to be. Like she knows the people they were aren't entirely gone yet.

As they both begin to quiet down from laughing, Scully leans forward to press her forehead against his own.

" Mulder, next time please just grab your phone." She nuzzles his forehead. " I'm getting too old to be still worrying about you."

" Okay, mom." He replies comically

Scully scoffs and pushes him away. Mulder pulls her back by her hand and kisses her knuckle. She rolls her eyes at him.

* * *

It's a miserable existence to be with the person you love and yet still feel aloneBut sometimes life has a way of making things okay.

Despite the miserable nights of her watching the clock chime late at night for him to come to bed - it is not quite all a miserable existence. There are moments where it is worthwhile.

And that is why Scully holds on so tightly now, even despite their hardships in the past. Even despite the times she's wanted to let go and walk away.

And today is one of those moments that make it worthwhile. Moments where it's worth it to hang on.


End file.
